The discussion below is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Aspects of the present invention relate to a wind turbine of the horizontal axis, direct-drive type, wherein the wind turbine comprises
a hub provided with one or more blades,
a generator with a centerline that is technically horizontal, the generator comprising an inner rotor which is driven by the hub and an outer stator, the stator comprising a front plate, a back plate and stacked, arcuate laminates.
There is a trend toward larger and larger wind turbines. A major problem designing larger wind turbines is the way power and weight scale. A hypothetical doubling of the length of the rotor diameter of a wind turbine will square its output, but increase its weight with a power of three. An increase in weight has a detrimental effect, in that it increases cost tremendously. This has an adverse effect on the cost of the electricity produced with the wind turbine. Thus, there is a major challenge to design a wind turbine that is both strong and light (for its size).